News & Public Affairs

Economic report critical of further state budget cuts

12/01/08 Mitch E. Perry
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It’s now official. For nearly a year, the U.S. economy has been in a recession.

That announcement came today from the National Bureau of Economic Research, the agency body charged with making that declaration. It’s the first official recession since 2001. And it follows two negative reports produced today on the economy.

According to the Institution for Supply Management, the manufacturing industry suffered its worst month since 1982. Also, a separate report from the Commerce Depar...

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Localshops1.com holds a talent show in Gulfport

12/01/08 Concetta DeLuco
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Tags: local businesses, economy, culture

Though rain may have cancelled most of the performances that were scheduled for a children’s talent show in Gulfport on Sunday, it did not dampen the spirits of Localshops1.com, the organizers for the event. The Gulfport-based website is devoted to the promotion of independent, local businesses in the Tampa Bay area.

David Knoll a local Gulfport singer, serenaded the crowd with an original song about localshops1.com. The audience consisted mostly of parents and the owners of the neighborin...

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ACORN supports Crist's call for freeze on foreclosures

11/25/08 Mitch E. Perry
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Tags: Economy, mortgages, foreclosures, Fannie May, Freddie Mac, Wall Street bailout

One advocacy group that supports Gov. Charllie Christ’s idea to put a freeze on foreclosures is ACORN, the Associated Community of Organizations for Reform Now.

ACORN is working in Florida and across the country in trying to keep homeowners having problems with their mortgages from being foreclosed.

They have also endorsed the proposal made by FDIC Chairwoman Sheila Bair to use as little as $25 billion of the $700 billion bailout to guarantee up to half of the loss that may result from ...

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British financial historian criticizes Hank Paulson listen

11/24/08 Mitch E. Perry
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Tags: Economy, treasury, Wall Street bailout

Niall Ferguson is a financial historian and author of the new book,The Ascent of Money. He told WMNF today that President-elect Barack Obama has had to make the moves he’s made recently because the country is demanding leadership on the economy.

That’s Niall Ferguson, a professor of history at Harvard University and a senior fellow at Oxford University in England. He’s also the author of The Ascent of Money. We’ll speak to him about his new book on tomorrow night’s newscast.

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Prins on rescue plan for troubled assets

11/22/08 Mary Glenney
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Tags: Nomi Prins, economy, Wall Street bailout

Economist Nomi Prins brings us up to date on the economy. She is a senior fellow at the Public Policy Center Demos and is the author of Other People’s Money and Jacked: How “Conservatives are Picking Your Pocket.

She is a reformed Wall Streeter and frequent contributor to Mother Jones and The Huffington Post. Bringing us up to date on the economy, she helps us understand what has transpired and where we are headed.

For more information, visit [NomiPrins.com](http://www.nomip...

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Demand at food banks up 25 percent listen

11/20/08 Mitch E. Perry
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Tags: Food banks, economy

As the number of the unemployed rise, the country’s food banks are also struggling to feed more people who are now unemployed or just down on their financial luck.

Today the region’s biggest food bank, America’s Second Harvest of Tampa Bay, conducting its 14th annual Empty Bowls Luncheon at Lykes Gaslight Park.

The Wall Street Journal reported today that food banks historically have depended on donations from food manufacturers and large supermarket chains. But in recent years, produ...

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City Council debates use of foreclosure revenue listen

11/20/08 Mitch E. Perry
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Tags: Tampa City Council, foreclosures, economy, mortgage crisis

Tampa City Council officials were expected today to rubberstamp a proposal by Mayor Pam Iorio that will allow the city to receive $13.6 million to address the foreclosure crisis.

But one City Councilman’s objections led to a much longer debate this morning at Council chambers.

Cindy Miller is director of the Growth Management and Development Services for the city of Tampa. She says the plan is to purchase or refurbish approximately 110 properties, with a concentration of homes in the S...

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Florida's budget woes to worsen listen

11/19/08 Mitch E. Perry
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Tags: State budget, economy, taxes, polls

Florida’s budget woes are expected to get worse. Later this week, state forecasters are expected to announced that the current budget will fall short by as much as $2 billion.

Florida’s Chief Financial Officer, Alex Sink, has said that the state should hold a Special Session to deal with the worsening crises. New House Speaker Ray Sansome says the state can avoid the cost of a special session by tapping state reserves and dedicating the first two weeks of the regular session to finding de...

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Pollster: Americans want auto industry bailout listen

11/14/08 Mitch E. Perry
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Tags: Economy, auto industry, bailout

The Senate's senior Democrat is asking the top Republican to allow votes next week on new emergency loans for the Detroit Three automakers and more jobless aid to the unemployed.

Harry Reid wrote to GOP Leader Mitch McConnell today asking him to clear Republican roadblocks to passing the package in a post-election session that begins Monday. Reid says aid for the auto industry and jobless is "especially urgent."

McConnell has not taken a public position on such a plan. He is calling in...

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Scribe urges more government spending listen

11/11/08 Mitch E. Perry
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Tags: 2008 election, Barack Obama, economy, polls

A new USA Today/Gallup poll shows nearly 7 out of 10 adults, or 68 percent, say they have a favorable opinion of President-elect Barack Obama; and almost as many, or 65 percent, say they think the country will be better four years from now.

That’s much higher expectations than for either Bill Clinton or George W. Bush after they were first elected. In both cases, slightly more than 50 percent said they thought the country would be better off in four years.

Andrew Kohut, director of the...

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